The last few days have seen significant media coverage regarding the current suspension to the HLS scheme and the confused messages emerging from last week’s Comprehensive Spending Review. Natural England have now finally published their official Q&A which can be accessed here (click on the file) or via their website at:

The European Forum for Nature Conservation and Pastoralism has recently produced a report 'CAP reform 2013: last chance to stop the decline of Europe's High Nature Value farming?' This report argues for the re-targetting CAP support in favour of farming types that are most valuable in terms of delivering public goods and are most in need of economic support to be viable - extensive hill farming using common land is one of these farming types.